Appearances Dollhouse
by LexusGrey
Summary: For the Dollhouse Ficathon. Having scars doesn't mean you can't be your best. Adelle has a soft spot for Claire and indirectly tries to make her feel better about herself.


Having scars doesn't mean you can't be your best anymore. Adelle has a bit of a soft spot for Claire and indirectly tries to make her feel better about herself.

"Claire," Adelle called as she noticed the doctor walking past her open office doors.

Claire stopped, back-stepped so she was in the doorway. "Yes?"

"I need you to accompany me on somewhat of a time-sensitive assignment. We have a potential active waiting for us at the hospital, and I need you to perform a physical."

Claire dropped her clipboard, then hurried to pick it up, shaking her head. "No, thank you."

"What you fail to realize is that it was not a request." Adelle stood from her desk, walked toward Claire. "And as I said, it is a time-sensitive matter, so get your coat."

"It's the middle of summer, and I don't feel comfortable with this assignment."

Adelle knew exactly why Claire didn't feel comfortable, but she pretended to be ignorant of it. "Topher can handle the actives while we're gone, there is no need for concern."

--

In the end, Adelle had simply taken her by the hand and ushered her into the elevator, then ordered her to the car in no uncertain terms, despite the tears welling in the doctor's eyes. Claire now sat stiffly in the passenger seat of Adelle's convertible, clutching her seatbelt like a vice.

"Oh would you relax? You're perfectly qualified to administer a physical examination," Adelle scoffed, pulling into the parking lot of the local hospital and shutting off the engine. When she turned to Claire, a pang of guilt hit her in the chest to see the terrified expression on her face and tracks of tears on her cheeks. Slowly she reached a hand out and used the pad of her thumb to brush away some of the tears.

Claire flinched at first, shrinking from the touch, but relented and silently allowed Adelle to wipe her tears. She hated the woman right now... more than anything. How could Adelle make her do this? People would _see _her. People would see her and Alpha was still on the loose. "Please don't make me go in there," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I don't think I can do it."

"Of course you can," Adelle said, much gentler than previously. "You're a brilliant doctor. And we very much need this man to become an active." Yes, the recession had hit even the Dollhouse.

"Look at me," Claire said quietly, her eyes welling up again.

"You have scars. So what? They've never stopped you from doing your job well. And you're the only person that looks at yourself differently because of them. Now please, get out of the vehicle. I don't much feel like throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you inside like a child."

"How can you be such a cold... bitch?" Claire asked, turning and getting out of the car, shutting the door calmly and forcing herself to start walking toward the doors of the hospital.

Adelle was stunned for a moment before she got her ass in gear, following Claire out of the car and catching up to her. She didn't say anything. Of course it appeared she was being a cold, calculating bitch, but in truth she had an agenda that involved nothing of the sort. An agenda she would admit to no one, even under extreme torture. She just... wanted to help Claire past her insecurities, and the only way she could think to do it without being obvious was to send her out into the world and make her successful.

--

Of course people stared at the doctor's scars; that was a given. But nobody mentioned them, or looked at her with pity. That was a relief to Adelle. That was the one piece of the puzzle that she had no control over.

When they got back to the dollhouse, Adelle followed Claire to her office and watched from the doorway as the doctor sat down to start typing the report on the new active.

"Why didn't you bring him here to be examined?" Claire asked without looking at her.

"What?" Adelle asked, not having been prepared for Claire to speak. "I told you, it was a time-sensitive matter."

Claire finally stopped typing and looked at her. "With all due respect, Miss DeWitt... bullshit."

"I beg your pard--" Adelle started to say, but Claire interrupted her smoothly.

"I'm not stupid. Why did you make me leave the Dollhouse?"

"It seems you've already made up your mind, why should you need me to answer?" Her arms slid crossed over her chest.

"I don't appreciate you interfering with my life like that." That was a lie. She did appreciate it. Too much. She didn't want to get used to it, only to have Adelle change her mind and rip the illusion away from her that somebody cared. Even somebody like Adelle DeWitt.

"You work for me. If your life needs interfering with, there will be interference," Adelle informed her.

"I'm not your slave, Adelle," Claire said, clearly irritated.

"No, a slave would be much more respectful to her superior," Adelle said, taking a few steps toward Claire's desk.

"This is my office and I don't remember inviting you in," Claire almost whispered. She didn't want Adelle to come any closer.

"I'm not a Whedon vampire, I don't need to be invited to come in."

"As witty as you are, I'd like you to leave now," Claire said, not at all amused.

Adelle thought about leaving... she even turned toward the door... but instead of walking through it she closed it and rested her forehead against it. "I'm a horrible liar, aren't I?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, you are," Claire answered simply, surprised but not surprised at the same time. And when Adelle turned to face her, she saw something in her boss's tired eyes that she hadn't seen before. An unguarded sense of... what was that, exactly? Compassion? Affection? Pity? She wanted to ask, but she stayed quiet, letting Adelle take the lead.

Why was it so important to her that Claire understand she wasn't just being a selfish bitch? Why did she care what Claire thought, as long as her actions served the desired purpose? And why couldn't she just have walked out the door, knowing that Claire knew she was lying but letting the illusion stand? She dropped her eyes and leaned on her hands on the desk, taking a quiet breath. "I wish you would think more of yourself. That's all."

Claire was quite surprised at that, both at the sentiment itself and at the fact that Adelle had voiced it. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but that wasn't it. "Then why don't you try giving me a compliment instead of forcing me into a situation I'm uncomfortable with?"

"Because compliments can only be well-received if a person has the self-confidence to believe them."

Claire was still thrown a little, and she folded her hands in her lap. "Why do you care, exactly?"

Adelle wanted to lie again, but she'd done enough of that. And this conversation couldn't really go much worse for her than it already was. A half-smirk pulled one corner of her mouth and she shook her head at herself. "Because despite how much you constantly challenge and frustrate me, I can't help but like you."

Claire wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry. "You're so stupid," she finally said, standing up from her desk and walking around, right into Adelle's personal space. "You're like a little boy on the playground, pulling my hair instead of trying to kiss me."

Adelle's heart picked up speed and force, pounding in her chest so hard she could feel it in her ears. Her eyes widened the closer Claire got, and she didn't realize she was holding her breath until it came out in a rush. "Kiss you?" she whispered, amazed she could get the words out.

"Yes," Claire said. "Kiss me."

Adelle wondered whether they were still talking in rhetoric and had resolved to simply stand there forever trying to figure it out, but Claire repeated herself, leaving no doubt.

"Kiss me."

And so she did, years of tension unwinding as their lips met. Compliments unspoken falling from Adelle's mouth into Claire's. Hidden affection expressed through gentle licks of Adelle's tongue everywhere she could reach inside of Claire.

When they finally broke apart, Claire spoke first. "Always be honest with me, Adelle."

Adelle's eyes fluttered closed and she nodded, resting her forehead against Claire's now instead of the door. "I will."

And she would.


End file.
